


Broken Hearts

by paintedbluerose



Series: Whumptober [19]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Because author wants it, Cause he thinks it’s his fault someone died, Character Death, F/M, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Implied Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Not really that strong though, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, Zuko (Avatar) whump, Zuko blames himself, Zuko just beats himself up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedbluerose/pseuds/paintedbluerose
Summary: Zuko fails to save someone. It’s all his fault.(Character death)Day 19 of Whumptober theme: Broken heartsPrompts: grief, mourning loved ones, survivors guilt
Relationships: Aang & Toph Beifong & Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Whumptober [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950010
Kudos: 39





	Broken Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Oh man was I excited for this! I killed someone and put the blame on Zuko! I mean, it’s not his fault but he feels like it is. (I feel like I’ve done this one years ago but can not find it anywhere.)
> 
> Implied Zutara because i happen to like Zutara (thank you very much) and because of one other reason. (SPOILER!she’s the one who diesSPOILER!)

Zuko tried his best, but it wasn’t good enough. _He_ wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t faster than lightning. He screamed and ran and he didn’t make it. The lightning hit her right in the chest. 

He still ran to her, held her in his arms. She wasn’t moving, wasn’t breathing. Her vacant eyes staring into nothing. The bright blue faded away. “No! Katara! Wake up!” He cried. It wasn’t fair! She wasn’t supposed to be hit! “Come on! You’re the healer. Heal yourself.”

“What’s the matter Zuzu? Pining over peasants?” Azula laughed.

Rage and grief overwhelmed Zuko. He didn’t remember what happened after Azula laughed-what was said or done. It wasn’t until he heard Azula scream did he snap back. Azula was dead, burned by him. He didn’t mean for that to happen. He didn’t want anyone to die. He just wanted to protect Katara. Now she was dead because of him. Because he had to taunt Azula. Because he had to prove he was better.

He held Katara in his arms crying. He screamed how it wasn’t fair. How he should have been faster. If only he’d been faster.

The moon was high when the Sages came for him. They took both bodies away. He felt like a piece of him went with each girl. It wasn’t fair.

Morning came, along with his friends. Zuko promised to take care of Katara and he failed that promise. How was he going to look at Sokka now? How was he going to tell him he failed?

“Zuko! We did it!” Sokka limped in. “Aang defeated your father without killing him.”

“That’s great Sokka.” Zuko looked away.

“Where’s my sister? Is she off healing people?”

“No.” Zuko closed his eyes. “She’s not. I... I failed Sokka.”

“Fail...?”

“The Fire Sage said you won the Agni Kai Zuko.” Aang said. “How did you fail?”

“I failed Sokka. I’m sorry.” He felt tears forming but he did not want to cry. Not until they knew.

“No. No. No!” Sokka exclaimed, moving away from the group. “Katara! Katara! No! You couldn’t have! No! No!” He fell as he struggled to get away. He didn’t try to get back up, just sat and cried. “No. Not my sister!”

“What’s going on?” Aang asked. No one else knew of the promise Zuko made so no one else knew how he failed.

“She’s gone. Azula... Azula hit Katara with lightning. I’m sorry.” Zuko finally admitted. “I wasn’t... I wasn’t fast enough.”

The screams were loud enough the whole palace could hear. Each scream, each tear shed, Zuko could hear them saying “it’s all your fault”. He’s the one who survived. He’s the one who knew how to direct lightning. He’s the one who taunted Azula. He was the one who decided on an Agni Kai. He’s the one who didn’t protect Katara.

They told him it wasn’t his fault. There was nothing he could have done. He could tell. They were lying. They didn’t mean it.

It was worse telling Hakoda. The father who was supportive and everything a father should be. The man who trusted Zuko before he knew him. Zuko had to look at the man and tell him his baby girl was dead because he couldn’t run fast enough. The sounds he made were heartbreaking. His heart and soul were ripped out and crushed.

Everyone said it wasn’t his fault but the guilt ate away at him. It was his fault. He survived. He didn’t die. He should have. He should have stopped the lightning.

Assassins came often and Zuko didn’t struggle much. If he was dead, he wouldn’t feel so guilty. Each time he fought back he reminded himself he didn’t fight hard enough for Katara so he shouldn’t fight hard enough for himself.

It wasn’t until a waterbender assassin came in to drown Zuko did he not struggle. Katara was killed by his element. He should die by hers. It was only fair. When the darkness came, he thought he was finally getting his wish.

He opened his eyes and realized he didn’t. He was still alive. Still at fault.

“Nephew. Why did you not fight? Do you want to die?”

Zuko looked away, he couldn’t stand to see the heartbreak on Iroh’s face. “I failed her Uncle. I let her die and it’s all my fault. I wasn’t good enough. Everyone thinks it. I know they do! I can see it in their eyes. They blame me. I deserve it. It’s my fault.”

“No my boy. You did not fail. You tried your best to protect her. It’s not your fault she died.”

“But-“

“No Zuko. It’s not your fault.” Iroh hugged his nephew. “It was never your fault.”


End file.
